MENU
SEARCHAt the PBA Symposium this summer, Group 3 Marketing created lots of buzz about our intergenerational research that was sponsored by BSG/Cosmoprof and KPSS.
At the PBA Symposium this summer, Group 3 Marketing created lots of buzz about our intergenerational research that was sponsored by BSG/Cosmoprof and KPSS. We also appreciated MSTV for promoting the research presentation. Anyone wanting a topline copy of the research findings that were presented at Symposium may contact us at the email address below.
One of the key research findings dealt with how salon guests view professional products. The biggest reason that guests buy store brands (non-professional) is because of price. The next biggest reason is that they don't see enough difference between professional brands and store brands. That's probably not earth-shaking news, so we kept digging.
When asked why respondents buy professional brands, three important points surfaced:
The younger Gen Y Millennials said "quality" first and "stylist recommendations" second.
The Gen X group said "performance in the hair" first and "stylist recommendations" came in a distant second.
The Baby Boomers said "quality" first and "stylist recommendations" second
Across all three generations, quality and performance are the key buying drivers, and they might be interchangeable terms.
Based on this research, we propose that the industry shift its thinking away from the concept of "retail" and promote the concept of professional hair care products for your at-home use. Professional hair care products need to be repositioned as:
An extension of the professional services you are receiving today, and...
The only way to keep the great look that you walk out the door with after your service.
Just because professional products are on the shelf does not make them retail. As we said at Symposium, if you want to sell "retail" open a corner drug store. If you are reading this, you are in a professional beauty salon. Not just any salon; a PROFESSIONAL beauty salon. That means to be successful, you should focus everyone's attention on your professional at-home hair care products, and not just selling retail.
Think quality and performance. Repositioning how your team presents professional products to your guests around a message of quality and performance can easily overcome the price objection, put more dollars in your pocket, and create more long-term guests because they know you care about how they look during and after every visit.
Stylists' recommendations are important across all the generations but the research found many guests, especially the Gen Y group, are skeptical of the stylists just trying to sell them something. By promoting quality and performance, the stylists can remove this skepticism.
The research also probed guests to find out why they are not buying professional products from your salons. More than 50 percent across all generations said "price" is the reason. We believe that a consistent messaging focus by both brands and salons that focuses on quality and performance can overcome price resistance.
Let's introduce a campaign to get the industry to think differently about the business of beauty starting now, with a new focus on product performance.
If you would like a free copy of the topline national results of intergenerational research e-mail info@group3marketing.com with your salon name and contact information. Let us know if you would like to conduct your own research using this research model.
To learn more about Group 3 Marketing, visit www.group3marketing.com.
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest
Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams credits her General Manager Gloria Hortua with [salon] 718's year-over-year, double-digit growth and says she's been able to scale the company to eight locations because she can rely on Hortua to manage daily operations.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Elyse Rogers is an uplifting presence at The Headroom who makes the team feel heard even in stressful situations. Owner Danielle Cherewyk sings her praises in this installment of Meet the Manager.
Despite a slight and predictable decline in client traffic for Q1, resilient pricing power is driving year-over-year revenue growth in salons. The KIM Report's Alain Audet reviews the data and what it's telling us about the state of professional beauty.
Same-store revenue grew just 2% for the second straight year—and new guest visits declined across every segment of the industry. The 2026 Benchmark Report reveals where growth is actually happening, which verticals are pulling ahead, and what the data says about where your business stands right now.
Sponsored by Zenoti
Hair restoration is entering a new era driven by regenerative science. This paper explores how Exosome technology is transforming treatment outcomes by targeting hair loss at a cellular level. Discover why EXOGROW is leading this shift.
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
A salon brand is much more than a logo. In this thought-provoking blog, Leon Alexander, Ph.D., walks you through the difference. SALON TODAY suggests sharing this article with your team and leading a discussion at your next huddle, asking the team to define your business's brand.
